Title: Jonah's Mission to Nineveh
Content Title: Jonah's Mission to Nineveh
Bible: Jon 3:1-10
Because Israel, as God's people, had endured so much suffering from the enemies of neighboring countries, they thought that the Gentiles should receive God's wrath. But God said to his servant Jonah, "Go to Nineveh, the great city, and command it to cry out against it." Jonah, because the people of Nineveh repented
Fearing and hating to be saved from destruction, he fled to Tarshish.
However, God sent a typhoon on the sea to the point of destroying the ship, and each sailor prayed to his god and threw things into the sea to escape the crisis. However, when the typhoon did not stop, lots were cast to sacrifice to the angry god this time, and Jonah was cast by lots and thrown into the sea. But God prepared a big fish to swallow Jonah, and Jonah stayed in the fish's belly for three days and eventually went to Nineveh. Although it was a forced missionary, Jonah did what God commanded in the end. He proclaimed the word of imminent judgment on Nineveh. Then, when all the people, including the king, repented and humbled themselves, God changed his will and saved the city of Nineveh. The book of Jonah is the message that tells the will of God who wants the salvation of all people by overcoming Israel's hostility and exclusivity. Even today, Christians often make the mistake of pretentiousness, narrow judgment, and division, unaware of the greatness, goodness, and love of God.
First, Second Words
When Jonah first received God's message, he fled. When a message comes to him that he cannot convey, whether from hostility or narrow-minded nationalism, he is a servant of God, but runs away. Not because I'm afraid. Because there was a conflict in his thoughts. Jonah wanted to see the city of Nineveh and all the enemies of his people in it be destroyed.
Jonah wanted to be a prophet proclaiming destruction against Nineveh, and God wanted Nineveh's salvation, so Jonah decided to run away. To go as far as he could, he went to Joppa and boarded a boat to Tarshish. However, God caused a storm, and the swallows were pulled out according to God's will and thrown into the sea, but God used a large fish as a tool and Jonah went to Nineveh. Jonah felt the presence of God from which he could not escape.
Second, go to Nineveh and proclaim
The word of the Lord came to the second Jonah. He obeyed the word of God. He went to Nineveh, and as soon as he arrived, he declared, "In 40 days Nineveh will be overthrown." There is no hope in these words, only judgment.
Still Jonah was a nationalist who cared for his country, his people, and his God. Even when the message is not what they want, God's servants must shout as God commands them to. Strangely, Jonah's cry was delivered with love to the people of Nineveh, and all the people believed in God, proclaimed a fast, and repented in sackcloth and sackcloth.
Thirdly, God changes his will
The city of Nineveh thoroughly practiced fasting and the nation-wide repentance movement from the king to all the people, young and old. When God saw what they had done, that they had turned from their evil way, he changed his mind and did not bring the calamity that he had said he would bring upon them. The people of Nineveh escaped from the disaster God was going to send by thoroughly repenting of their sins.
Even when we do something wrong, God forgives us and forgives us by repenting of our sins and repenting. When the prodigal son also left his father to die of hunger, he repented and returned to his father. We too, sinners who had to die for their sins, were saved by God's love. In gratitude for that great love and grace, let us also live by forgiving and giving love to others.